Attorneys

Partner

Tony F. Ortiz

Mr. Ortiz is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating of qualification given for ethics and legal ability. Less than ten percent (10%) of firms nationwide are rated AV.  In his almost three decades of practice, he has represented state and local public bodies, school districts, personal injury clients and many private litigants in state and federal court.  Mr. Ortiz regularly works in the areas of contract, employment, civil rights claims, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and property matters.

 In addition to providing day-to-day services for his institutional clients, Mr. Ortiz is a litigation attorney both in defense and plaintiffs cases.  In this regard, Mr. Ortiz has appeared in most of New Mexico’s district courts, before the New Mexico Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, as well as the federal district courts of New Mexico, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.  In a recent example, Mr. Ortiz successfully tried and won a jury verdict against a large hospital for malpractice exceeding $1.3 million dollars.

Mr. Ortiz is a graduate of Stanford University and the University of Michigan Law School, and he also was a New Mexico Supreme Court Judicial Clerk early in his career before starting in private practice.  After several years of working with other New Mexico firms, Mr. Ortiz started his own law firm in 2013, and invited Mr. Zamora to join him in 2015. Because of the enthusiastic response from clients, the firm has grown to five lawyers.

Mr. Ortiz’s lengthy experience and his track record of success make him a uniquely good choice for legal services, whether it involves negotiating a deal or trying your case to a jury.

Partner

Geno Zamora

Mr. Zamora utilizes 28 year law practice and his diverse background in law, business, and public policy to provide his clients with legal, policy and strategic direction for issues including education, employment and labor, risk management, procurement, real estate & land use, litigation, water, civil & human rights, government relations,  open government, and personal injury.  Prior to forming Ortiz & Zamora with his law partner Tony Ortiz, Mr. Zamora served as in-house General Counsel for the Santa Fe Public School District and, in 2015, attended the Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s National Institute for Urban School Leaders.  As part of his law practice, Mr. Zamora has also served as contract associate counsel for New Mexico Highlands University.

Mr. Zamora has served as chief legal officer and senior policy advisor roles, including Chief Counsel for the Governor of New Mexico, City Attorney for the City of Santa Fe, General Counsel for the New Mexico Economic Development Department, and Assistant Attorney General.  As Chief Counsel to the Governor, Mr. Zamora managed over 25 in-house counsels and over 40 outside law firms.  In his public service roles, Mr. Zamora has focused on reducing the risk and litigation expenses of governmental entities, reducing expenses through improved procurement procedures, minimizing project delays, and negotiating solutions for costly litigation. 

Mr. Zamora is a 1991 graduate of the Georgetown University School of Business, and a 1994 graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law.  Mr. Zamora is a former Chief Analyst for the New Mexico House of Representatives Leadership Office during the 2001 regular and special legislative sessions.

Senior Associate

Jessica R. Terrazas

Ms. Terrazas is a Senior Associate with Ortiz & Zamora.  She focuses her practice in municipal defense, employment law, and school board representation.  Prior to coming to Ortiz & Zamora, Ms. Terrazas was a litigator with the Rodey Law Firm with an emphasis on health law and medical malpractice.  Prior to joining the Rodey Law Firm, Ms. Terrazas clerked for the Honorable Edward L. Chávez of the New Mexico Supreme Court.

During law school, Ms. Terrazas was a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court Team and a semi-finalist at the National Latina/o Law Student Association Moot Court Competition.  She served two terms as president of the Mexican American Law Student Association (MALSA).  Ms. Terrazas also studied abroad in Santiago de Chile, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, with American University Washington College of Law.  She received the Esteban A. Aguilar Award for Outstanding Advocacy and the University of New Mexico School of Law Dean’s Award.  

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Terrazas worked as a union organizer and lobbyist in Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York. 

Ms. Terrazas has earned the designation of “Rising Star” in the 2016-2018, 2020-2021 editions of Southwest Super Lawyers for her experience and expertise in Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Employment Law.

Senior Associate

Michael R. Jones

A long-time court litigator, Mr. Jones handles all matters involving litigation and civil/criminal procedure for Ortiz & Zamora.

Right out of law school, Mr. Jones clerked for Justice Patricio Serna at the New Mexico Supreme Court.  Michael has had a variety of legal work experience working with the First and Eleventh District Attorneys’ offices as an assistant district attorney, the New Mexico State Senate as an analyst, the New Mexico Attorney General’s office, as well as in private practice.

While in State Government, Mr. Jones was a prosecutor for all levels of criminal cases. At the Attorney General’s office, he was engaged in civil litigation and representing various state agencies.  Mr. Jones also worked as an analyst for the New Mexico State Senate’s Conservation and Judiciary Committees, and he was the Chief Analyst for the New Mexico Senate’s Majority Office.

In addition to working for State Government, Mr. Jones has been in private practice for twenty years.  During much of that time, Mr. Jones was a partner in his own firm where he handled a variety of civil litigation, as well as criminal defense and prosecution.  While in private practice, Mr. Jones has defended and prosecuted all types of criminal cases from misdemeanor shoplifting to first degree murder. Mr. Jones has also been contracted to be the City Prosecutor for the cities of Espanola and Santa Fe.

In the civil area of Mr. Jones’ private practice, he has represented people and entities as varied as corporations to land grants. Mr. Jones has been counsel for people or entities involved in personal injury matters, domestic relations and domestic violence cases, people injured by civil rights violations, property disputes, and will and estate issues. He also served as an administrative law hearing officer with the New Mexico Secretary of State.   

Michael R. Jones graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1993. He received his juris doctor from The University of Toledo College of Law in 1996.  Mr. Jones has been practicing for twenty-seven years.  He has been licensed in New Mexico since 1996.

Education

• The University of Toledo College of Law, Toledo, Ohio.

• Juris Doctor, May 1996.

• Admitted to the New Mexico Bar, October 1996.

• Admitted to the Ohio Bar, May 1997.

• Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

• Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  August 1993.

Previous Experience

• Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin, & Robb, P.A., Associate, 2012-2017

• Union organizer and lobbyist in Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York.

• Clerked for the Honorable Edward L. Chávez of the New Mexico Supreme Court

• Committee Analyst for the New Mexico Senate’s Conservation and Judiciary Committees

• Legislative Analyst - During the 1998, 1999 and 2004, 2005 & 2006 Legislative Sessions.

• Senate Majority Pool Analysts

• Chief Analyst - 2005 and 2006 Sessions

• Huffaker & Conway, Attorneys at Law, LLC

• Associate - April 2003 to November 2004

• Attorney General’s Office

• Assistant Attorney General - November 2002 to April 2003.

• First Judicial District Attorney’s Office

• Senior Trial Prosecutor - April 1999 to October 2002

• Eleventh Judicial District Attorney’s Office

• Assistant District Attorney - April 1998 to April 1999.

• Honorable Justice Patricio M. Serna, New Mexico Supreme Court

• Law Clerk: - January to December 1997.

Bar Admissions

• New Mexico

Associate Attorney

Meagan R. Muñoz

 Ms. Muñoz is a Junior Associate with Ortiz & Zamora. She focuses her practice in municipal defense and school board representation.  Prior to coming to Ortiz & Zamora, Ms. Muñoz served as a consultant for the New Mexico National Education Association Center for Community Schools and interned at the Public Education Department’s Office of General Counsel, the Law Offices of the Public Defender’s Juvenile Branch in Albuquerque, and the Legislative Education Study Committee as a law student. Prior to attending the University of New Mexico School of Law, Ms. Muñoz was a classroom teacher in her hometown of Hobbs, New Mexico, serving as a fourth-grade teacher and a middle school P.E. coach.

During law school, Ms. Muñoz received the Child and Family Justice Scholarship Award, also participating in the Jaramillo Summer Clerkship Program and the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project.  Ms. Muñoz is currently working toward her master’s degree in educational leadership through New Mexico Highlands University as a Ben Lujan Leadership and Public Policy Fellow. She plans to graduate in Summer 2023.  Ms. Muñoz also currently serves as a Board Member for the Young Alumni Chapter of the UNM Alumni Board.  

Of Counsel

Albert J. Lama

Mr. Lama received his undergraduate degree in English from the University of Arizona in 1985 and his law degree from Creighton University in 1988. Mr. Lama has been a licensed attorney in New Mexico for 37 years. He spent 25 years in public law practice, serving as an Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General and Chief Deputy Attorney General under (4) four different AG administrations. During those years, Mr. Lama gathered significant experience in state defensive litigation, provided legal counsel to state constitutional officers, the Office of the Governor and many state executive agencies. Mr. Lama is well versed in NM constitutional law, government affairs, administrative law, employment law and open government compliance. Mr. Lama serves as Of Counsel, sharing his significant experience in public law with his colleagues and the firm’s clients.

Education

• Creighton University School of Law; Omaha, NE, Juris Doctor, May1988

• University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; BA, English and Political Science, May 1985

Previous Experience

• Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, NM Office of Attorney General. (December 1990-December 1998)

• Director, Civil Division, New Mexico Office of Attorney General.

• Chief Hearing Officer, NM Department of Taxation and Revenue (May 24- June 2007)

• Chief Deputy Attorney General, NM Office of Attorney General (June 2007-June 2014)

• Chief of Staff and Deputy Executive Director, The National Association of Attorneys General, Washington D.C. (June 2014-May 2023).

Bar Admissions

New Mexico